European Union - united against disinformation on the net
The "EU Code of practice against disinformation (PDF)" is a code of practice to combat disinformation and protect citizens. Disinformation is defined as false reports or newspaper hoaxes that are deliberately spread in order to manipulate readers and influence opinions. Classic examples are reports about crime committed by foreigners or the receipt of social benefits by refugees, which are based on incorrect figures and contexts. Once produced, these false reports can be disseminated at breakneck speed and almost without limit in the age of social media, regardless of their correctness. Every person becomes a potential multiplier of the false report. Particularly in the context of elections, this potential harbors the danger that false reports will be misused to push through political goals .
A code of conduct for Google, Facebook, Twitter and Co to combat disinformation
In order to combat the danger of this false news, the European Commission adopted the "Action Plan against Disinformation" in April 2018. This contains four pillars:
- The improved detection of disinformation campaigns,
- the establishment of an early warning system against false reports,
- cooperation with fact-checkers,
- raising awareness in society, and mobilizing online platforms and the advertising industry in the fight against disinformation.
Because online platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Co in particular play a crucial role in combating it. The amount and reach of false news is directly related to the platforms' ability to block it or amplify and spread it. The most influential platforms voluntarily committed to the "Code of Conduct for Combating Disinformation" in August 2018. In addition to Google, Facebook and Co, software providers such as Mozilla and parts of the advertising industry are also among the signatories.
What does the code oblige participating companies to do?
The code includes a wide range of obligations - from transparency in political advertising to closing fake accounts and denouncing authors of disinformation.
- Facebook is taking steps to make election advertising more transparent ahead of the EU election, prevent the creation of fake accounts, and develop consumer protection tools to help members use them more safely.
- Twitter is taking targeted action against automated systems such as bots to prevent the mass spread of false news.
- Google promises an improvement in the control of ad placement and with regard to the transparency of its algorithms. Thus, Google wants to highlight relevant and authentic results in the search results in the future.
- Mozilla is working on a new browser version that prevents cross-page tracking to protect users' browsing activities.
In the run-up to the European elections, all signatories have also committed to reporting on their work at monthly intervals.
What benefit should the code bring to users? The
2018 year-end report shows initial successes: fake accounts and bots have been removed, the number of fake websites reduced, and disinformation campaigns curbed. For users, this results in visible changes:
- Online social media ads are easier to spot and distinguish from other types of sponsored content.
- The number of fake websites that are made to look like pages of political candidates or reputable media companies but are actually aimed at disinformation is lower.
- New labels (for example, who funded ads on social media) let users know if it's the author's honest opinion or an advertisement in disguise t.
Despite these initial successes, much remains to be done. Companies already participating need to expand their strategies and more companies need to commit to the code. The EU is making a special appeal to advertising companies, brand owners and advertisers, who also play a key role in the fight against disinformation. Moreover, the Code is also only one element of the Action Plan against Disinformation. The implementation of the other projects of the action plan is equally crucial in the fight against disinformation in Europe.
What you can do yourself against false news:
- Besure: research the truthfulness of messages if you have doubts. Are there other reputable sites, such as online newspapers or scientists, that also confirm the report?
- Do not redistribute: Do not share or forward reports if you have doubts that they are true.
- Make other users aware of error messages.
- Take a cue from online sites that are dedicated to fighting error reporting. Such fact-checking sites include Mimikama, Correctiv, Hoaxmap, Politifact or Snopes.
- Report false reports: Have you spotted a news item that seems like a hoax? Report it to fact-checking sites. Professional fact checkers will review your report and act accordingly. You can do this either by email (e.g., at Correctiv) or by using a reporting form set up specifically for this purpose (e.g., at Mimikama).
We would like to thank our partner BEE SECURE for this article.
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